Political favoritism alleged by candidates in upcoming election

Tax Watch columnist David McKay Wilson hears a response to his investigation of the Putnam County Golf Course.

Putnam County Republicans and Democrats alike on Wednesday called for investigations into allegations of preferential treatment at the county golf course afforded to the campaign of Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and a nonprofit headed by one of Odell’s political protégés.

Kent Town Board member Paul Denbaum, who will challenge Odell in a September Republican primary, said the county Legislature should investigate the deals offered to organizations linked to Odell and Sayegh.

He also said the state Board of Elections should investigate the Odell campaign’s failure to report a $6,310 payment for her 2015 golf outing. Tax Watch was provided a copy of the check, signed by Odell. But there was no record of it, as required, in her campaign finance reports.

“This is an example of how MaryEllen has one set of rules for herself, and another set that everyone else plays by,” Denbaum said. “She tells us taxes have to go up, but taxpayers are denied money because she gets a discount on her events.”

He noted that Odell struck the preferential deals with Homestyle Caterers, whose county contract is overseen, and approved by the Odell administration.

“She is the county's chief executive officer, she hires the contractor, so she is negotiating the price with herself,” he said. “She says the contractor set the price. Even if that’s true, the contractor knew what price to give her to make it work.”

Political favors alleged

Odell's Democratic opponent, Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, said Odell was using the golf course as a way to dispense political favors to her allies, and her own campaign.

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Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, at the May 9 Little Black Dress party, will face MaryEllen Odell in the November election.(Photo: David McKay Wilson/The Journal News)

"If you or I were to rent the facility, we would pay full price, just like organizations who are not on Odell's list of favorites," said Fleming. "Taxpayers are subsidizing Odell's campaign. Odell parties. We pay."

Calls to Odell were referred to her campaign spokesman Nick Fannin, who did not respond. Calls were not returned by Sayegh, Faith Ann Butcher, executive director of Community Cares and Odell’s public relations assistant, or Al Ciuffetelli, owner of Homestyle Caterers.

On Monday, Odell told Tax Watch that giving a break to Sayegh's nonprofit was good county policy.

"There's a value here with the community that wants to help, but otherwise doesn't know how to help," she said. "So if we have these events, all of the proceeds goes straight back to the folks that need them. It's not going to salaries. It's not going to administration. It's like returning the favor, right?"

Golf course improvements were high-profile initiatives in Odell’s first two terms. The Tax Watch investigation found that by hosting 15 events, the Odell campaign was the catering hall’s biggest customer since 2015. It wasn’t charged the county sales tax on a $3,960 food bill, did not pay the 18 percent service charge on eight of its events, and paid less for parties than others, according to an analysis of 282 events.

Jennifer Colamonico, who chairs the Carmel Democratic Committee, recalled that her organization paid the sales tax and service charge when it hosted state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli at an event in 2016. Putnam County receives 30 percent of gross catering sales, and 4 percentage points from the county’s sales tax of 8.375 percent, so any event that does pay market price for the use of the hall produces less county income.

The only income for Sayegh's event was $1,335 from the cash bar, with nothing paid by the nonprofit.

“I don’t think a county legislator’s nonprofit should get special favors from the county, no matter how important the cause,” said Colamonico. “We didn’t get the special favors. I guess we aren’t friends of MaryEllen.”

Sayegh defended

County Legislator Carl Albano, R-Carmel, who attended Odell’s golf outing on Monday, came to Sayegh’s defense. He lauded the county’s contractor for providing discounts to Community Cares, which provides services to families dealing with a medical crisis.

“Amy does a tremendous job, and I’m impressed that local businesses would help out,” Albano said. “It’s not the county doing it.”

Sayegh’s Little Black Dress parties at the golf course in 2016 and 2017 played a role in raising her community profile after she lost a bid in 2014 to oust Odell’s most vocal critic, Legislator Dini Lobue, R-Mahopac, She ousted Lobue in 2017.

Lobue, who called the golf course operation an example of Putnam County's "pay to play" culture, called for an investigation by state Comptroller DiNapoli. She said the state constitution prohibits governments from providing gifts to private entities, as it did for Sayegh’s nonprofit.

Former Legislator Dini LoBue, R-Mahopac, called for an investigation by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.(Photo: David McKay Wilson/The Journal N)

“Sayegh’s nonprofit was given free use of the Putnam County Golf Course at taxpayer's expense,” Lobue said. “Since Sayegh is a legislator whose core responsibility is to oversee funding for county facilities, this could constitute political misconduct.”

The favoritism was indicative of the way Putnam County government favors its inner circle of friends, said Scott Reing, a Southeast Democrat challenging Legislature Chairman Joe Castellano, R-Southeast.

Castellano did not respond to phone and email messages.

“It has become apparent to me that this legislature and county executive will err on the side of self-dealing and self-interest,” he said. “Events can be held at county facilities, but they should be held there to benefit the county, not benefit from the county.”